Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Washington, DC

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,185 a month against $3,983 in Washington, DC, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
194

Cost of Living Index in Washington, DC
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Washington, DC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Washington, DC

🇺🇸 United States

$3,983

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Washington, DC

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Washington, DC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,983 in Washington, DC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Washington, DC $3,983

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,228 in Washington, DC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Washington, DC $6,228

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $8,473 in Washington, DC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Washington, DC $8,473

Chicago, IL is about 20% cheaper than Washington, DC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Washington, DC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Washington, DC by 195%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$27.77 $27.77

-22.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$108 $108

-18.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$12.16 $12.16

8.55%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$6.33 $6.33

-11.69%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.18 $3.18

-17.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.66 $2.66

-15.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$9.05 $9.05

-21.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$10.02 $10.02

-7.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.33 $1.33

-3.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$4.09 $4.09

-6.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$6.87 $6.87

-26.20%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$5.75 $5.75

-15.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$17.13 $17.13

-17.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$16.64 $16.64

-12.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$18.87 $18.87

-0.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$7.07 $7.07

-26.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.33 $2.33

-14.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.96 $4.96

-19.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$5.86 $5.86

-15.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.86 $2.86

-2.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.85 $3.85

-31.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.67 $2.67

-20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.63 $2.63

17.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$14.17 $14.17

13.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$16.05 $16.05

-5.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.25 $3.25

-19.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$5.74 $5.74

-39.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.34 $3.34

-26.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

$120 $120

-37.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$4.03 $4.03

-20.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.62 $1.62

-14.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$25.11 $25.11

-0.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.09 $1.09

13.76%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.2K $37.2K

$36.1K $36.1K

3.11%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.8K $26.8K

-3.80%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$192 $192

$211 $211

-8.72%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$67.8 $67.8

$81.6 $81.6

-16.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$78.8 $78.8

-22.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$112 $112

-52.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$73.7 $73.7

-62.16%

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$17.76 $17.76

0.23%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,554 $1,554

$3,178 $3,178

-51.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$41.6K $41.6K

-24.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$72.4 $72.4

-6.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$43.71 $43.71

16.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$103 $103

-1.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$123 $123

16.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$2,730 $2,730

-12.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$2,230 $2,230

-23.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$5,011 $5,011

-6.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$4,437 $4,437

-38.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$8,288 $8,288

-49.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$3,671 $3,671

-26.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$6,188 $6,188

-20.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.63

2.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Washington, DC: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Washington, DC

$2.2K 56% 30.2% $518

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Washington, DC

$513 12.9% 13.6% $61

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Washington, DC

$423 10.6% 19.9% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Washington, DC

$371 9.3% 15.6% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Washington, DC

$154 3.9% 5.7% $9.3

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Washington, DC

$145 3.6% 52.5% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Washington, DC

$148 3.7% 65.6% $59

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $2,730 in Washington, DC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 26% higher in Washington, DC, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $108 in Washington, DC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $513 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Washington, DC

🕒 Local time

17:50 5:50 PM

18:50 6:50 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

672,228 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Washington, DC 950 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Washington, DC

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chicago, IL vs Washington, DC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $3,983 in Washington, DC – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,975 in Washington, DC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Washington, DC, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $108 in Washington, DC. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,185 in Chicago, IL and $3,983 in Washington, DC. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,185 in Chicago, IL to $3,983 in Washington, DC. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Washington, DC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.